Did Bear make the right decision?

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Hi guys,I'm definately NOT trying to "stir the pot" - I'm posting mainly because I don't want Avsim to trash my User ID for not posting often enough :-)!. I have the utmost respect for Bear and totally understand why he is narrowing future reviews to FS aircraft only - I'm just surprised it's taken him this long to finally run out of time and patience. I've written before that the Avsim library is getting out of control with the amount of stuff being uploaded per day - but the "quality NOT quantity" argument doesn't seem to make a difference to the Avsim staff these days. Anyway, I'm getting off the point... according to the front page, Bear has stated that he is no longer going to review any "popular" freeware offerings; but is instead going to concentrate on obscure uploads that nobody else seems to want. Based on this philosophy, Bear provided complete reviews on products that (for the first time in many months) failed to win any of his "approval awards" while, at the same time, including a simple list of "popular" downloads that (I feel) didn't receive the recognition they deserved. Maybe I have HAVE been living under a rock, but many of the "popular" files listed are not that familiar to me! As an experienced user, I'm pretty satisfied with my FS setup, so I'm not really inclined to download a file just because thousands of others feel it might be a worthwhile "risk" - again, quantity doesn't necessarily equal quality. I'm not criticizing Bear for making a 'very necessary' decision - I just feel that his time might be better spent reviewing quality freeware instead of constantly searching for that "proverbial diamond-in-the-rough". Personally, I've always used Bear's column to make an informed decision on what products to download. This month, I won't be downloading any of the offerings that Bear reviewed; but I will be installing some of the files that he listed as "popular"... they look pretty good; but without a proper review, I really can't be sure....Regards,Marc

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Guest

Absolutely Tom. What Bear decides to do with his valuable time is Bears full and complete right. As you say, he doesn't get paid by AVSIM to do specific (or any!) reviews: he does them because he likes to. That he's unselfish enough to provided his wonderful service to others and has helped so many with their download decisions is just icing on the cake.I'm surprised at some of the reactions when Bear's likes and dislikes change over the years - of course! I've always held such a high opinion of his opinion and writing. I appreciate his new focus and hope it brings him as much renewed happiness as I know it will bring me.Take care,Elrond

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Guest DaveKDEN

Does it really matter what anyone (even Bear) says about a particular file? So long as YOU like it, who cares if it has the blessing of another. While I like browsing reviews (just to see if there's anything I might have missed), I don't consider them as any different than a movie review. I have different 'tastes' than the reviewer and as such, will always make MY OWN decision as to which files I keep and which one's I delete.Dave

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Guest BrianC

I believe his point regarding the popular files is that the users are already gushing in the forums over those, which gushing spurs many more downloads, hence their popularity. That was certainly the case for recent examples like the MelJet and Gladden's C-140, and for scenery items like Shez's new KDCA. Steve need not spend all the extra personal volunteer time reviewing something that's already been covered well in the forums.

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>I don't get it. He's a volunteer (as we all are here at >AVSIM). ANY decision he makes is the RIGHT decision. Or did >I miss something? No Tom,You didn't miss anything - apparently I don't get it... I wasn't aware that being a volunteer "automatically" makes one's decision RIGHT. I voluntarily made my post to this forum - does that make me right? God help us if all posts to this forum are always considered correct! Bear gives tremendous amounts of his time (as a volunteer) to provide meaningful reviews to the flight sim community - I am not criticizing Bear at all (I think I already said that)... if it wasn't for him, there would be many quality freeware products that I simply would not have tried. I'm a pretty big Flight Sim enthusiast, but file library searching is not what I consider fun. Granted, Avsim has been extremely proactive in making its site more user-friendly, the review ratings column is a great step in the right direction. However, Bear receives more attention than your average "volunteer" - his opinions always end up on the front page (and rightly so - because he has very good opinions). My point is that many of the products that he has reviewed in the past also happen to be very popular... to me 'popular' doesn't mean 'essential'. As an example, there are several immensely popular "bush flying" add-ons available in the Avsim Library; I'm not a big "bush flyer", but I've downloaded several packages based soley on Bear's reviews (not on the number of downloads). This is but one of many examples. Bear can do whatever the heck he wants; I just think he's narrowing his horizons way too much. When you add the fact that Avsim rarely gives extensive reviews to freeware products (keep in mind I said "rarely", NOT "never") - I see a pretty big void being created. Personally, I'd like to see Bear review the "more popular" products - there are plenty of them out there that many people still don't take advantage of... if you're going to spend the time - why not concentrate on the creme instead of the crap? Bear is free to do what he wants... I'm just expressing the opinion that his past reviews will probably be more relevant than those he presents in the future.Regards,Marc

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Dave,You are absolutely correct! However all the forums I've ever been to(subject is irrelevant), have many people who want or need others to make their decisions for them. These folks are common in life, in the workplace, in your neighborhood. This is not directed at any individual.Thaellar"Half of the people in this world are below average, and the average ones arent very bright either"

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Guest DaveKDEN

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Guest Milio_B

I think when a person that is volounteer for something makes a decision, that decision must be respected even though it's not necessairly the right one.I'm not saying Bear took the wrong decission here, all I'm saying is that we have to respect his choice.

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My $.02:Although I love reading Bear's reviews, I don't need him to tell me about the MetJet and POSky 747's, the Fokker 70/100, or Brian Gladden's Cessna 140. A quick peek in the forums will tell me all I need to know. Opinions, reviews, suggestions and screenshots are readily available. If I'd been away from my PC for a while, or more likely my internet was down, his short list would prove handy.I do agree with and heartily support his decision to review the "proverbial diamond-in-the-rough". I've had the A-26, the Bell 47, the Pilatus, and both Zlins since before this review was posted. All thoroughly enjoyable aircraft. If I'd missed them due to lack of hype, I would be sad. Thanks to Bear, I am now aware of Heather Sherman's PT-19, an aircraft I've been looking for since Dave Eckert's Stearman. I've also added the Greenland Whale and Alphajet to my list of things to check out.I would like if he would continue to review sceneries, utilities, and other add-ons. But if he doesn't have the time I respect that, and will continue to enjoy the reviews and screenshots he does have the time to share.

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Hi Marc,Long time friend... Its nice to bump into Fly! guys around here every so often.I believe your original question was aimed at the wrong target... Of course Bears decision for his own work/enjoyment is the RIGHT decision - regardless of what that is. Its his prerogative based on what makes him happy to do ... or not do. Whatever that decision is, as long as it makes him happy, it is exactly the RIGHT decision - for Bear. In this regard, I view volunteer writers-and-like no different than individual freeware authors (such as yourself).I believe the target of your question was really aimed at AVSIM. Mainly: Does AVSIM make the right decision in continuing to support Bears personal efforts (solely on behalf of the public) through publication of his newly refocused reviews?In my opinion: fully and completely - yes. If I were a publisher, I'd too welcome any and all well written and researched pieces from my involved and knowledgeable public - regardless of its focus (and specially from known and established writers such as Bear).Will future Bear reviews fit your and others style and needs from this point on? Evidently no. Will it fit mine and others? Absolutely. I have no doubt that some might miss the reviews of more popular addons that are released - or even more, addons of a scenery and otherwise non-aircraft related nature. In that case, someone else (maybe you?) would hopefully step up to the plate and provide that void you might miss. Just as Bear has done for years now.In the meantime, I personally look forward to Bears new focus - one that I have had a hard time with over the years: finding the pearls at the bottom of the vast ocean that is the AVSIM library. I know they are there and I've always wondered about what I might be missing. Now I'll know. Thanks as always, Bear - and AVSIM for giving him a voice... Even if it is different than it was yesterday.Take care Marc and the best to you and yours,Elrond

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>written before that the Avsim library is getting out of >control with the amount of stuff being uploaded per day - >but the "quality NOT quantity" argument doesn't seem to make >a difference to the Avsim staff these days. Anyway, I'm Or maybe the amount of quality stuff has increased faster than the minimum standards being applied.Not happy that Fly! uploads are being swamped? Create some more...>getting off the point... according to the front page, Bear >has stated that he is no longer going to review any >"popular" freeware offerings; but is instead going to >concentrate on obscure uploads that nobody else seems to >want. Based on this philosophy, Bear provided complete >reviews on products that (for the first time in many months) >failed to win any of his "approval awards" while, at the >same time, including a simple list of "popular" downloads >that (I feel) didn't receive the recognition they deserved. There are many good things that get forgotten simply because they are (for example) uploaded on the same day as a much anticipated release by someone else or are created by someone with no name at all and overlooked because people download only things by people they know about.

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Guest Matt Johnson

About what?Yes, we are ALL volunteers, and I think any decision that Bear takes about how he is going to lead his life, and what he is going to provide, for free and out of his love for the hobby, is "right", too.Personally, I'll still be reading Bear's column and taking a look at the aircraft he recommends, because I respect his judgement. If you don't like it, you can go someplace else.

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Guest Guruswarmyoz

I wholeheartedly agree with Bear's new approach, particularly on those aircraft that may well be very good but don't get the download numbers like the POSky or the MelJet models.That is not to say that I personally am "crowing" as 2 of my models made the latest Bear reviews (PC7 Mk II and the Texan II <-- both of which are direct variants of my PC9/A model), but aircraft such as the Blom und Voss Assymetric aircraft in my view ar far better model than the airliners that populate the download listings of most FS websites. This aircraft in particular is one that DESERVES an award for the shear amount of work that has obviously gone into the model and the fact that it shows in the final product so to speak.I for one visit from time to time to see what has been reviewed, there is no need for a lot of the most popular downloads to be reviewed as someone usually puts in the forums a topic along the lines of "Hey this thing is real good" etc and from those topics you usually get an informaed opinion. But this does not override your own opinion when you use an add-on or even comparing the add-on to the real world.Personally i have had pilots who have actually flown the real aircraft that I have Modelled (such as the PC9 and T-6II), and i can say that their respective feedback and comments are more valuable and gratifying, after all that is what I strive for in making my aircraft - as close as I can get it!

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Hi Elrond,How are things going... it's great to see you hanging around here too! As always, you are the voice of reason - and I totally agree with your assessment. Bear is free to do as he wants - I'm not questioning his right to make a personal decision... I'm only questioning whether he really thought about the ramifications before making that decision. Whatever decision he makes, there is no doubt that Bear's reviews will continue to benefit Flight Sim users. In your case, you have the time and desire to try out the popular downloads on your own... so Bear's new philosophy fits your needs. In my case, I don't have the time to download and field-test every popular freeware offering that shows up in the library. I may be wrong, but I have a feeling that most Avsim users are a lot like me... and most of them don't visit this forum very often. In the past, I've probably download 10% of the files that Bear has reviewed - and I've been very happy with most of them. Under the new criteria, most of that 10% will be eliminated because those files happen to be "popular". I'm not targeting Avsim (they have nothing to do with Bear's decision), I'm not targeting Bear for changing his priorities, and I'm not targeting the die-hard users for agreeing with Bear's decision... I'm just predicting that Bear's future reviews will no longer be that beneficial to the "average" Avsim user - that's the only reason I questioned his decision.Good to talk to you again,Marc

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Thanks Tony,How's the C4TO "port" going? I'd like to do something similar for FS2K2 (I guarantee it won't cost $42) - but MS isn't in the mood to publicize it's ATC logic at this point.Great to hear from you,Marc

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Guest Guruswarmyoz

>I love your PC-9 and Texan 2 I cannot wait for the Canadian >and the other scheme for the Texan 2 I am approx 95% of the way through in converting the Texan II into FSDS2 standards with a DVC as per the FSDS2 PC9, PC7. I MAY have it ready b4 Christmas, but this may be after new year as I am helping another designer do a CAC Avon Sabre in FSDS2 with a DVC, this has priority at the moment (is a real good model btw). The Sabre is previewed at "my" site in me signiature below, go to the forums.P.S. Thanks for the comments on my aircraft, it is very much appreciated.

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